Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Alternanthera ficoidea cultivar Partytime.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alternanthera plant, botanically known as Alternanthera ficoidea, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Partytime.
The new Alternanthera was discovered in June, 2000, by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Atlanta, Ga., as a naturally-occurring branch mutation of an unidentified selection of Alternanthera ficoidea, not patented. The cultivar Partytime was selected by the Inventor on the basis of its unique foliage coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings taken in Atlanta, Ga., since August, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Alternanthera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Partytime have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Partytimexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Partytimexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and rounded plant habit.
2. Freely branching habit; bushy and dense growth habit.
3. Green, creamy white and red purple-colored leaves.
Plants of the new Alternanthera differ from plants of the parent selection primarily in foliage coloration as plants of the parent selection had green and burgundy-colored foliage. Plants of the new Alternanthera differ primarily from plants of known cultivars of Alternanthera ficoidea in leaf coloration.